Lewis Hamilton says he made a mistake at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix and would not criticise Max Verstappen's defending after the race.
Having dropped from second to eighth place on the run to Turn 1, Hamilton had to produce a fighting drive to recover to the top three at Suzuka. While parts of the grid were still damp after morning rain, Hamilton says the start was his own error rather than anything to do with the conditions.
"I don’t think the damp patch had anything to do with it, I made a mistake," Hamilton said. "Working my way up from there was tricky but I did the best I could.
"I just got wheelspin ... Honestly I don’t really remember [feelings after start]. I can’t remember at the end, I was just far back and I was just looking to go forwards.”
With Hamilton closing in on Verstappen he tried to overtake at the chicane on the penultimate lap and had to avoid the Red Bull as he ran wide due to Verstappen's defence. Asked if he was happy with the move, Hamilton replied: “Well, it doesn't really matter now. It has happened and we move forwards.”
Despite dropping 33 points behind Nico Rosberg in the drivers' standings, Hamilton was keen to praise Mercedes as his team won its third consecutive constructors' championship at Suzuka.
“The team did a fantastic job and a big congratulations to everyone back at the factories and to the whole of Mercedes-Benz. To have had three years in a row of success, I’m very proud to be a part of it and happy that I could contribute to it today.”
REPORT: Rosberg wins in Japan as Hamilton fights back to third
Breakfast with ... Tetsuo Tsugawa
FEATURE: Silbermann says... Snapchat and soap in Suzuka
Chris Medland's 2016 Japanese Grand Prix preview
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
